It's not for a long conversation, it's about getting a point across quickly and no-one has to say a word.

Creator Mark Schroder

University of Queensland's Mark Schroder and Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) worked together to create the booklet, which holds 12 common phrases a surf lifesaver would need to say to someone in the surf.

Thirty-five of the 78 people who have drowned at Queensland beaches since 2005 were international visitors or migrants.

The booklet uses pictures and diagrams to allow tourists to communicate quickly.

"They're safety messages that tell a person that the area they are swimming in is unsafe and they need to move between the red and yellow flags," Mr Schroder told 612 ABC Brisbane's Emma Griffiths.

"Many international visitors don't understand the surf. They think the calm part of the waves is the best spot but it's where rips are.

"[The book is] not for a long conversation. It's about getting a point across quickly and no-one has to say a word."